A Modern Arrangement
by Five seas
Summary: Layla and Yuri want to have a baby together, but can't. In a fit of inspiration, they employ two certain people into helping them with the project, and get more than they bargained for when sparks begin to fly and romance blooms unexpectedly.
1. Chapter 1

_Muse - You're going to get me killed, you know._

_F.S. - What are you talking about? I'm the one writing the story, aren't I? _

_Muse - Exactly. All I ever did was whisper a suggestion in your ear and you immediately launched into writing a story._

_F.S. - Just be glad it isn't in the Twilight fandom, I'm getting tired of the rabid fangirls._

_Muse - *nods wisely* _

**Disclaimer: I do not own "Kaleido Star" and its characters, or any books, movies, songs, etc. that get mixed in this crazy venture. Do not come after me with torches and pitch forks, please!**

_This fic was inspired by a French movie, "Le Nouveau Monde", which I really like, but wouldn't recommend to the younger readers as it deals with a lot of sticky subjects, and the plot itself is not something most parents would agree with. So... just take my word for it and believe me when I say it's awesome. I have also used props from the lj society sl_snowblossom, created by no other than the wonderful royalbk, for the sake of keeping the community alive. If you have an account, I suggest you come and visit it, there are some things you might all like._

_Speaking of sticky subjects..._

**ATTENTION! Due to the fact that the following story deals with subjects of a serious nature, such as conception, childbirth and the processes leading to them, this fic has been rated M. Due to the fact that the author was in high school until a couple of months ago, her words should not be taken for granted. Reader discretion is advisable.**

***looks around* Seems I covered the necessary bases. So without further delay, I give to you "A Modern Arrangement"**

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**_23. Fame_**

A young woman stood in the middle of the large arena at Kaleido Stage. The stalls were empty, the audience long gone, but she still stood there under the Big Top. Her golden hair was shining brightly under the spotlights, in stark contrast with her dark outfit. She stood, even though there wasn't anyone she could stand in front of, her posture ramrod straight, her eyes focused at the patch of sky revealed by the open hatch on top of the building.

Layla Hamilton sighed. The stars were not out tonight. Her eyes closed and she breathed in. It was so quiet and so very still. Lonely. Like her heart.

"I didn't know you were here still." A soft voice came from the entrance. Layla didn't open her eyes to acknowledge the other woman, but Sarah didn't take offence. Slowly, the diva made her way down the stairs and stood with Layla in the middle of the arena. "We'll have to close down soon, Layla."

"Just a few more minutes." The blonde said softly.

"You seem to come here a lot." Sarah commented.

"I like the solitude."

"Has Yuri been bothering you at home?"

"You're hilarious, Sarah." Layla commented dryly, before opening her eyes "I just need a little breather. I just finished shooting a movie and I have to leave to shoot another one in a month. There's a commercial I need to take part in next week, not to mention all the performances here. It's hectic." She rolled her head around. "I just need a few minutes of quiet."

"You shouldn't worry about the stage. May and Leon are doing fine." Sarah said.

"Fine never sat well with me, you know that."

"Ah, well…"

The two women lapsed into silence. Layla continued to stare upwards, while Sarah berated herself for her own stupidity. She knew perfectly well who Layla would have preferred to replace her, but both knew it was impossible. And still, perfectionist to the core, Layla couldn't settle for a heartless performance. Even if Leon Oswald, their new male lead, was in a league of his own, May Wong, his partner, was mediocre at best. Oh, she had the skill, but in comparison with…

"Have you talked to Sora lately?" She asked.

"Yeah, I saw her the other day at the university." Layla said sadly "Classes are going fine."

"What about…"

"She's still doing her exercises daily and goes to rehab. But the doctor still discourages her from any serious physical activity." The blonde trailed off distractedly. "It's cloudy tonight. I was hoping to catch the first stars."

Sarah looked up and shivered slightly. Even after a year, looking that far up made her slightly nauseous. She couldn't understand how Layla had the strength to do it, day after day, and continue on with her career.

After Yuri had issued his challenge – that he would give Kaleido Stage back to Kalos if Sora and Layla performed the Legendary Maneuver – the two women had accepted with an unyielding determination. They had practiced at Kalos' desert retreat, and for a while, everyone had believed in their success. Sora began to catch up with Layla at an amazing speed, and the Hamilton heiress had shown that she was every bit of a star that everyone thought she was. Up until the final day, there had not been a doubt about their success.

But that success had come at a great prize. When Sora had found out about Layla's obsessive attempts to lose weight in order to make the maneuver easier for her, the young girl had practically thrown herself into it, trying desperately to perfect her technique. Unfortunately her body, unused to the sudden pace, had began faltering, and on the day of the performance, both women were nearly dead on their feet. Sarah still didn't know what possessed them, why had they gone up to those trapezes when they were clearly in no condition to do anything. But they had. And as far as the maneuver went, they performed it perfectly.

However, on the way back, Sora's trapeze had been thrown off synch by the strong wind and the girl ended up tangling her foot in the wire. She had saved herself, swinging upside down until she reached the platform, but the wire had cut into her foot so deep that it made an operation necessary.

The aftermath was horrible – Sora had to stay bed ridden for three months, and afterwards she had yet to deal with rehab. Her health problems turned out to be more serious than she had thought, as the rigorous training had ended up damaging the muscles on her working hand and thrown her biological clock off balance. After much thought and consultations from her parents, Sora had decided that she would have to retire from the stage for a few years until she had recovered her health completely and chose to spend that time studying at the local college at Cape Mary.

It had been a good plan, a solid plan, but Layla was clearly unhappy with it. Even if the blonde didn't often show her emotions, it was clear she had become strongly attached to her young partner, and it hurt her to see anyone but her being the leading lady of Kaleido Stage. It was only temporarily, but Layla knew that the more time Sora spent away from the stage, the harder her return would be.

Sarah knew that too, and naturally deduced that the reason for the blonde's sour mood lately was exactly that.

"It'll be alright, Layla." She said.

"Hmm?" Layla looked back "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"Sora. She'll be alright. She'll come back to the stage when she's ready." Sarah said.

"Oh." The blonde sighed "That wasn't what I was thinking about."

Ok… now she was curious. "What then?"

Layla didn't answer for a while. And then, with a sigh, she said: "I think I'm ready."

_**2. New**_

Layla Hamilton was a star, but it wasn't until Sora's accident that she seriously started to consider her future. For her, the only goal in life was to be the leading lady of Kaleido Stage – the movies, commercials, fame and fortune, they were all just side benefits from it. Even her reconcilement with Yuri Killian, the reformed bad boy and her lover of many years, was something she hadn't had to worry for. They loved each other, no matter what the other did in the past, and irrationally as it was, Layla found it in her heart to forgive and forget.

But now she had a new desire, something so strange and foreign it had overwhelmed her at first. However, there was no doubt in her mind as to what she wanted now.

It hadn't been an easy decision for her, but she took it nevertheless, and then came the hardest part.

"Yuri. I want to have a baby with you." Never the one to beat around the bush, she told her lover as soon as she came home.

Luckily, Yuri hadn't been drinking water or any other beverage, otherwise he would have surely choked down on it. However, he did have a glass in his hand, which he set carefully down on the table before looking at his wife. "Pardon?" he asked, unsure if he had heard right.

"I want to have a baby with you." She repeated calmly.

Yuri blinked, and then asked again for good measure.

"What?"

"Did you forget your English?" she asked with obvious irritation "I said what you heard – I want to have a baby with you. As in getting pregnant."

Yuri frowned. Never a good sign. "Layla, I will ask you something, and I beg you not to jump my throat for it, but have you been drinking something?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I will have you know I am perfectly sober."

"Yes, of course you are." He grinned in a desperate attempt to lighten the situation.

"Don't you patronize me." Layla said "I have, and always will be, the more sober of the two of us. I'm not drunk, I'm not high, this isn't some decision taken on a whim, and I am certainly not joking. I want to have a baby with you."

Yuri groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. He took a deep breath and counted to ten. Then counted to twenty. And then some more. He desperately wanted to sound normal, but try as he might, the words just came out harsh and impatient: "So why are you telling _me_ this? If you want a baby, you shouldn't talk to me about it."

Layla bristled: "What do you mean by that? You're my friend, my lover, the man I love and respect. If there is anyone out there with whom I should be discussing this, it would be you."

"Yeah? I really don't see your point." Yuri stood up and started pacing "I can't believe you would suggest that. Of all the things, Layla, of all the things you could have said, I never expected you to choose this way to break up with me."

"I am not breaking up with you!" she exclaimed "I told you, I want to have a baby. That has nothing to do with us breaking up."

"It does when it comes to me." he realized he was starting to sound childish, so he brought his voice down a notch and tried to breathe normally. "I thought we discussed this already, Layla. I love you. I have no problem with commitment. All it takes is for you to pick the date and we'll go get hitched without a sound of protest from me. I'm completely fine with devoting my life to you. But if you want children, you need to go to someone else."

He fell silent at that, too afraid that he might get a little too emotional. But the words were out and the damage was done. Layla's face immediately fell.

Yuri sighed. It wasn't something he usually did, but it felt appropriate in the moment. He sat down and rubbed his hand over his eyes, trying to get rid of the frustration and anger. He was a man of the world – he had traveled everywhere, seen people, did things. He had the fame and the fortune and, at some point of his life, all the women he wanted. Now he had the only one he loved, but he had always been afraid that one day she would walk away, when she realized he couldn't give her what she wanted, what she deserved. It seemed like his greatest fear was coming true – he was well in his right to be frustrated.

Yuri Killian had many secrets, just like any living human being, but his inability to father a child was probably the best kept one of them all. Probably the worst one too – at least his father couldn't be the cause for his love to walk away.

He felt Layla move and a second later she was kneeling by him, removing his hand from his face so that she could look at him in the eye: "Yuri, I know this is hard for you, but we can have a child without breaking up."

"No." he corrected her "You can get pregnant without my assistance. That doesn't equate to having a child, let alone with me." He was getting more frustrated by the second. He had always thought Layla was like him – a lone wolf, fighting for her place in the spotlight, ambitious and strong. He'd been perfectly content with just having an easy companionship with her, self-satisfied in their little duo like Pierre and Francoise (without the third party and the murders). And now this… he didn't know how to react. "How did you even come up with this anyway?" he asked. "I thought you didn't want children?"

She threw her head back and now it was her turn to pace.

"You think it's weird, but it's been around for a while. It's like an obsession. I wake up and think: baby. I go to sleep and think: baby. A day can't pass without me thinking about it, and when I see a pregnant woman I die with envy. I'm ready. I know it's early for a mid-life crisis, but I feel it in my heart – I want to have a child. If I wait a little more, I'd have to start getting hormone shots and doing procedures and I'll never bear it."

Yuri rubbed his forehead and tried to calm himself down. It was obvious she was adamant about this. There had only been one time she had been so determined, right before the Legendary Maneuver, and she had carried it out until the end. She wanted this and she would have it. He had to ask himself if he wanted it as well.

"You really have been thinking about it…" he trailed off.

"More than you can imagine. I can't stop imagining it – a boy or a girl with my hair and your smile." Her expression turned wistful "He or she would constantly eat sweets and spoil the dinner, and even the trips to the dentist and the braces wouldn't change that. We'd take him or her to Kaleido Stage, where they could watch us perform, feel the magic, and hopefully want that too. I want that, Yuri. I want the toothy smiles, and the skinned knees, and the tears I would kiss away."

"Yes, but what role would I have?" he asked "I can't get your pregnant, so what will I be to the child?" he realized he was acting childish himself, but he just couldn't shake off the feeling of unease he had. The fact that a child was a serious responsibility was something he was well aware of, but a child for the two of them? How could they re-arrange their lives around something like that?

Could he arrange his life around that? After everything that had happened, could he really be allowed to do this? Or would he spend his entire life worried about when the second shoe would drop and cut him out of their life.

"You will be his father." She said "You will teach him how to swim and swing on the trapeze and pick up girls, when the time comes. There is more to it than just a handful of genes, you know that."

"Yes but…" he paused. He was well on his way to agreeing, but he couldn't help but think there were some things they needed to discuss first.

But he had to admit, the more she talked about it, the easier he saw it. The dream, it was there, before him – a little boy or girl with blond hair and a huge, face-splitting grin. He couldn't help it – he felt a pang in his heart, wondering how wonderful it would be to have something like that. To be able to raise a child, help him or her shape into a person, and then watch them take on the world.

It was tempting. And it was beautiful.

Yuri shook his head with a smile: "Sora's been rubbing off on you. Your enthusiasm is infectious."

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**A/N - Happy Birthday to me. Cheers!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**You guys are awesome, you know that, don't you?

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16. Children

That was one discussion he wasn't very easy of partaking in.

"Alright, so how are we going to do this?" Yuri asked on the next day, when they sat down together to discuss the… idea more thoroughly. "Are you going to conceive in vitro with the… genetic sample from an anonymous donor?"

Layla, impeccable in her white suit and designer heels, was spreading some papers on the table. Brochures, books, things she'd printed out from the internet… she looked like a schoolgirl preparing for a project. Only schoolgirls didn't look so darn perfect at eight in the morning. Yuri had a hard time imagining Layla pregnant – the Hamilton heiress was just always so elegant, clothes always a perfect fit, every strand of hair in place. Even as she performed there was an air of regality around her, as if she was something more than an ordinary person.

He couldn't picture her in baggy overalls with her hair in a messy braid and wearing sneakers like some of the pregnant women he'd seen on the street, but then again, maybe he wasn't very good in his observations.

At present, they had to hush over the details, namely, choosing the procedure she would undertake. Yuri had only started his research last night (after she'd gone to bed, he'd been too wired up to sleep), and even after a few hours of browsing, he realized he had only scratched the surface of the issue.

"Actually, I was thinking… if you agreed to it… that we don't… use an anonymous donor…" she trailed off.

Yuri paused. Ok… he had promised himself that he would take calmly whatever she said and consider it like a grown up before giving his opinion.

"Why?"

"Because I think it'll be better."

He got up from his seat.

"No, please listen to me!" she exclaimed as he started pacing "What's the chance that someone lied in their application papers just to get a little extra cash? What if he or she is born with some horrible genetic mutation just because someone was too selfish to think of that first. Not to mention that the knowledge of ones ancestry might be important to the child later in the future."

"And you say genes didn't matter…" Yuri mumbled under his nose. Unfortunately, she heard him.

"They don't matter to me, or to you. But they might matter to the child. Just imagine what it would be to meet your biological father under some horrible circumstance? Or, heaven forbid, that he or she marries a biological sibling."

Yuri paused and chewed on his tongue before he said something snide.

She was right, of course she was right. But then again, why shouldn't she be? She was Layla Hamilton. She never did anything without considering it carefully. She probably had read every item there was on the subject and considered every aspect. _Calmly, gently, don't make a scene._ He had a lot to learn yet. Finally, Yuri found his voice and said, exasperated: "Look, those are really good reasons, but you do realize that this isn't something you'd ask from your friends or even close acquaintances." He could just imagine the look Kalos would give him if he brought the subject up.

"Why? Why the hell should they not accept?" Layla asked stubbornly. "Life is a miracle."

"Yes, but masturbation isn't." Yuri said, his cheeks flaming red "I… I… I'm… not comfortable with discussing these things with them. I know I shouldn't but… do you realize what this whole thing is going to mean for us?" he thought back about his reference to Simone de Beauvoir's "L'Invitee", about them being Francoise and Pierre… somehow, their life was quickly becoming like that book. And he didn't like that, because the damned book had really fucked with his mind so hard he had never wanted to pick it up again.

Layla rubbed her hand over her tired eyes. "This is never going to work until we stop acting like idiots and start acting like adults. For our sake, as well as for the sake of the people who will be involved, we have to think about it seriously."

Yuri raised his hand: "Wait a minute, rewind. Did you just say people? As in plural?"

Layla blinked like a deer in the headlights, before starting to fumble with the hem of her shirt. Her face was suddenly completely devoid of color, safe for a couple of bright red spots that were currently adorning her cheeks. If Yuri hadn't known her better, he would have said that she looked… embarrassed.

"Actually…" she began slowly, almost hesitantly "I called Sarah to discuss my schedule. She… umm… she basically told me that with the contracts I've signed, it'll be a bad idea to pull out for a couple of years."

Yuri blinked, trying to decipher the meaning behind that statement. "So you're booked solid for a while. Then we have a lot of time to plan."

"No, Yuri… I'm… really booked solid. Like… booked solid for the next five years." She said slowly.

He stared. "How does that work?"

"I don't know!" she exclaimed. "I swear, I didn't think it was that much, but then I realized just how far I've gotten. A contract here, another there, commercials, sequels… it all built up."

"Ok, so what are you going to do? Pay the penalty fee and get out of them for a couple of years?" He asked, but his mind was already racing ahead. She had said 'people'. As in plural. There wouldn't be just a donor, another man involved there.

"Actually, I did some numbers and decided that ultimately it wouldn't be a good idea for me to pull out. So… I think it will be good to ask someone to carry the baby to term."

Yuri didn't get up this time, just rolled his head to get the kinks out of his neck: "Apparently, I can't stop you, but will you please just reconsider your options? At this rate adoption would be a lot easier."

"And become the next Brangelina? I don't think so." She joked, before adding "You know this is important to me."

Oh, well… he had to resign himself. He and Layla were far from married, but he was well on his way into turning in one of those mild, quiet husbands, ready to offer their ambitious wives an ashtray or a lighter before they were even asked. That being said, he couldn't argue with her on that matter. The death of her mother and the constant absence of her father had somehow made her extremely touchy on the subject of parenthood and she needed to feel a connection with a child… even when the said child was no more than a hypothetical fixture in their future.

"Alright, alright. Since you don't want a stranger to be the donor, I'm guessing you're not going to search for a woman willing to do this through the papers, then?"

"No." she nodded. But she still refused to look up at him, which led him to wonder if there was anything else she had omitted to tell him. Slowly, a suspicion started to craw up his spine.

"Layla… you wouldn't happen to have… already chosen the woman, have you?" he asked carefully.

"I considered my options from every angle. Believe me, I have taken everything there is in mind." She took a deep breath and looked at him. "I asked Sora if she would be willing to do this, if you agreed."

Yuri shot out of his chair as if it had caught fire. "Sora?" he repeated, incredulous "Sora Naegino? You… you asked her to carry your child?" So much for calmly and maturely discussing things "For the love of all that's holy, Layla, she's a kid!"

"She is twenty years old." Layla pointed out.

"She may be twenty, but she's still a kid." Yuri looked as if he was about to go into a hysteria, but marshaled his feelings admirably "Good God, Layla, she's barely out of rehab. Her body wouldn't be able to handle it."

"That's not what her doctor thinks."

"You talked Kate about it?" perfect. If Kate knew, Sarah would know soon too. And then Kalos. And then god knows who. Yuri had barely accepted the idea of becoming a father, how was he going to deal with everyone asking him if he's alright with this.

And they would ask.

"Of course I talked to her about it. She's the best in Cape Mary, and she's Sora's attending physician."

"And what did she say about this mad plan of yours?" his tone was accusatory.

"She said that it will be a hard emotional journey for all the people involved, but the fulfillment you'd get from it is well worth it and that nothing stops Sora from doing it."

"Lovely…" Yuri hissed under his breath "You women must be conspiring against me. Next thing you know you'll be asking me to talk Leon Oswald into being the biological father."

Layla remained silent. When he turned towards her, she refused to meet his eye. She was still a pale spot, a white and gold apparition in the middle of their living room, but the blush on her cheeks was even more prominent than ever.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Yuri groaned. The day was getting better and better.

_**14. Dedicated**_

There came times in a man's life when he had to pull his head out of his ass and make a stand, defend his principles and save his loved ones from making a huge mistake.

Unfortunately, today wasn't one of them.

Today was the day a man had to consider his words very carefully unless he wanted to be send to sleep on the couch, or worse, sleeping on the couch at a friend's house. Besides, this wasn't about his own selfish desires, it was about his and Layla's future. The more they talked about it, the more this child started to feel like a human being and less like a fantasy. They were planning on the dates, considered buying a house, discussed the possible things they could do to their schedule so that they could be with the child at all times. Yuri had even talked to Sora about it, and the girl didn't seem fazed by the fact that she might skip a year of school or be set back for a while before she returned to the stage. She actually seemed excited about the project, which was a great relief to him.

The only problem on the horizon seemed to be Leon, whom Layla had considered as the possible biological father, but whom neither of them dared to approach. Yuri thought it was suicide. Layla told him to give it a shot.

That's what he was doing that day – giving it a shot. He'd had the fortune of finding Leon, reading alone on a bench after hours in the kid's stage, and he had broached the subject immediately, without dancing around it:

"Leon, I would like you to father my baby."

The Frenchman looked up from the book, eyes narrowing as he recognized Yuri. His expression was as cold as it usually was, but he didn't say anything poignant or biting, which led the blond wonder if he hadn't phrased his request properly. The silence stretched…

In broke.

"Well? Aren't you going to say anything?" he asked.

"I'm still waiting for the punch line." Leon replied coldly "Although I have to say, your joke is really tasteless."

Yuri felt the blood rush to his face, making him look awfully like a radish. "I am not joking. Layla wants to have a baby and we need a… a donor." Leon was still looking at him expectantly "You see, I had this accident when I was a kid and…"

Leon raised his arm to stop the barrage of words. "I'm sure it's a touching story." His voice was completely devoid of sympathy "But it isn't my problem."

Yuri dug out patience from some deep, deep well and tried again, just as the younger man returned to his book. "Look, I know you don't like me, but please consider this seriously for one moment. Layla doesn't have as many options as you think, and she asked me to talk to you about it."

"I gathered that you must be out of options if you ask _me_ of all people for that." Leon said, not looking up from the page "If I was more vengeful, I might have actually agreed to watch the show. However…" and that statement was delivered if a pointed look "I have no desire to partake in something like that. I'm not the only man around here."

"You're young, you're healthy, and you don't have any hereditary diseases. And you're part of the cast. It's important to Layla…"

"Excuse me, I did not agree to anything." Leon interrupted him "And don't even think that you'll talk me into taking care of your kid. What's your problem anyway? If Layla's hitting the midlife crisis already, just let her play with some of the performers' kids until the urge passes."

His flippant attitude pissed Yuri off… even if it wasn't all that different from his own at the beginning. No matter – he had already picked a side and he would stick to it like a man. "She's serious about it. That much is clear. And I'm serious about it as well. If you put aside your animosity towards me, you would see that too." Leon didn't grace him with an answer, just continued to stare at the book. Alright. Final resort. He hadn't wanted to bring this up, but it was necessary. "Please, Leon. I'm sorry for what happened to Sophie, but you need to put that behind you…"

The book was snapped shut and Leon was suddenly on his feet, standing up in his full height and looking a lot more intimidating than he ever did. "You really have some nerve, coming here with such a request. I have already told you I want no part of this, and you will do well if you let it go. And don't even dare to talk to me about Sophie."

"You think it's my fault she died, and you're right. I may not have wanted her to get in an accident, but it is my fault she wasn't where she was supposed to be." Yuri took a deep breath. "You think I'm a scoundrel, and I am. You think I don't deserve what I have, and I agree. There isn't a day I don't wish I could turn back time and change things. But I don't let the guilt rule my life."

"How dare you?" Leon's hands balled into fists, crushing the poor book he held "How dare you come to me with your stupid motivational speeches and insist _I'm _the one needing help!"

"Look…"

"You called her out." He said "You lied to her. You cheated and manipulated to get what you wanted, and when she lay dying you didn't even have the decency to come to the hospital and comfort her."

"Do you want to hit me?" Yuri asked "Do you? Well, do it." he spread his hands out "Do it. I won't stop you."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "What games are you playing at, Killian?"

"No games. If it'll make you feel better, I don't mind a black eye."

The younger man breathed in and marshaled his features into a semblance of calmness. "You've always been full of shit, but this takes the cake. I cannot believe you would go as far as this just to aggravate me."

"Have you been listening? I am not doing this to aggravate you. If hitting me will get the anger out of your system and you'll be more willing to listen, then fine, hit me." Yuri stared at him square in the eye "I'm asking you for this because you're the best call."

Leon looked on coldly.

"Please…" Yuri tried the begging again "Layla is my life. It's not something that could be easily explained… but when someone matters to you so much as she does to me, you would do anything for them. I want to lay the world at her feet, but that's not what she wants. I can't give her a child and… it kills me. Believe me when I say I didn't come here with an easy heart, but…"

He was cut off when Leon's fist connected with his cheekbone. The force of the impact sent him staggering and grabbing onto a nearby seat to keep himself from sprawling on the ground. He managed to look up just as the Frenchman stuffed his crumpled book in the back pocket of his pants and made his way past him. As he reached the end of the row, he turned around to look at the stunned man.

"Well?" Leon asked impatiently "What are you waiting for?"

"What do you mean?" Yuri asked, still cradling his hurt cheek.

"Obviously, I'm going to have to take part, since I'm the only sane person around here." Leon said coolly "And since I'm doing it, I might as well meet Layla herself. Are you coming with me or should I drive myself there?"

_**17. Miss**_

"You cannot be serious!" Anna stared at Sora from across the table, slack jawed. "You're planning on getting pregnant?"

Twenty-year old Sora Naegino sighed inwardly at her friend's reaction. She knew she would be gathering a lot of those in the future year, and then some, but she supposed that it was just like any other thing: the first time was the hardest.

Of course, Anna was well aware that she was not using the correct terminology for what her friend was about to partake in. Kate-san had explained the procedure in detail – they would take genetic material from Layla-san and the male donor, fertilize the egg, and then transfer it in Sora's body. Technically, there wouldn't be any of her genetic material getting tangled in the mix, so technically she wasn't the one getting pregnant.

Then again, she couldn't just say she was borrowing her body to Layla… the decision was hers as well.

Her parents had been accepting, as always, although judging by her mother's voice over the phone they were more resigned to the fact that she was old enough to make her own decisions than excited about the whole venture. She, too, had been confused as to the relationship dynamics between the participants, but she had always kept an open mind. Besides, since Yume's birth, she had been more than supportive of anything concerning children. She found Layla-san's desire for a family to be admirable and thought Sora really did something amazing by helping them out.

Upon hanging up, though, Sora couldn't escape the feeling that there had been a part of this conversation that had been left out, a part that neither mother nor daughter could phrase.

"Sora, why are you doing this?" Anna asked. "Seriously, why? You still have three years until you complete your diploma, and you eventually want to come back to Kaleido Stage, right? Wouldn't this set you back?"

The redhead huffed: "It's not like I'm doing it to pass the time, Anna. It's important to Layla-san, and I think it's a beautiful wish to want a child. Why not help when I can?"

The violet-haired comedian paused as she considered her friend. True to herself, Sora never partook in anything unless she gave it her very best, and she was heading into this thing with a lot of enthusiasm.

If Anna had to be completely honest, that was not such a bad thing. After the accident, she, like many others, had been worried that Sora had just lost her flare. After all, Layla herself had been on the end of her powers and a hair's breathe away from a serious trauma too. Sora had a lot less training and wasn't nearly as ambitious as her idol. Many had expected that the redhead would give up on acrobatics altogether.

Many people didn't understand Sora.

But with this idea looming over the horizon, Anna couldn't help but feel worried, slightly, for her friend. That was why she said: "It's just… not something most people would do for each other." She tried imagining herself in Layla's place, or Sora's for that matter. Anna's attitude towards children was entirely different from theirs, of course, but she still couldn't put herself into their shoes. Perhaps it was a trick she hadn't mastered yet, as a comedian. She had to ask her father.

She drew her long bangs away from her eyes (she'd been trying to grow out of her usual boy cut for the past year) and stared at Sora straight in the face: "Answer me honestly, Sora, is this something you truly want? Or… did you find yourself unable to refuse when Layla asked you?" After all, Sora's admiration of the blonde star was no secret. And as much as the former wanted to be affronted that her friend would think that, she couldn't deny she didn't see where she came from.

_First time's the hardest_, she reminded herself as she said: "I want this, Anna."

Luckily, the comedian was open-minded enough to take her word for granted and not to pry. Sora was suddenly glad she had decided to tell her friends one at a time. She was certain people would react differently and she needed to be careful in the way she delivered the news.

Next on the list… Mia.

* * *

**A/N - I might not be able to update for a couple of weeks due to lack of Internet again, so sorry about that. I'll try working on bringing you guys up to date as soon as I can.**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Been long enough.

* * *

**_

5. Silence

Leon sat in the white hospital corridor and, for once, didn't felt like reading.

He didn't like hospitals as a rule, but this time, he had a lot more to worry about than just unpleasant memories. No matter what Yuri said, he wasn't hung up on what happened to Sophie at all… well, mostly… not at present anyway. Hospitals were just unpleasant places to begin with – drafty, unfriendly buildings, filled with waiting and irritation and pain and tears. He preferred infinitely to keep himself healthy at all costs and avoid this place for the rest of his life.

Then again, he could've just said no when Yuri asked him if he wanted to come. His appointment wasn't for another hour, but Layla was going to arrive early for the transvaginal oocyte retrieval, which was a fancy word for a very painful, very exhausting procedure the future mom was currently undertaking. As a loving boyfriend and verbal punching bag, Yuri's presence was necessary, but Sora, the woman who would actually be carrying the baby to term, had also agreed to come for moral support.

What was Leon supposed to do? Say that this didn't concern him? Whether he liked it or not, he had agreed to do this, and he would have to be there every step of the way. Yuri had told him that all that was expected from him was a sperm sample (ha!) and his name on the birth register, in case it was needed in the future, but he knew better than to expect that he could go through this with his usual icy façade.

Since only one person could go in with Layla, he found himself sitting in the drafty hallway with no other than Sora herself, who was currently trying very hard not to blush as she read through a leaflet on the subject of in vitro fertilization.

He couldn't help it – every now and then, he threw glances at her direction, hoping in vain that the next would be the one to reveal the secrets of the woman… girl, sitting by him. When they had told him that not Layla, but this child, who could've been Sophie's age, would be the one to get pregnant, he had almost broke Yuri's other cheek. It was ridiculous. Truly, he had done a good thing to join them, otherwise those three would end up raising a child without a drop of common sense.

Of course, he knew Sora Naegino, or, rather, he knew who she had been. Former performer of Kaleido Stage, Layla's partner in "Arabian Nights", the girl who had performed the Legendary Maneuver with the aforementioned star and who, due to a fluke in her training, had ended up incapacitating herself for a year. Instead of going back to the stage immediately, though, she had decided to get a college degree first, giving both her body and her mind the time to recuperate before she made a comeback.

Leon was grudgingly impressed with that last one. Many performers relied heavily on their physical strength, dexterity and skills to make a living and settled for trying to be the next big one, without putting their effort into another direction. This Sora girl had wisely chosen to find herself a backup plan in case her skills weren't all that amazing and he, if he were one to make a standing ovation, would have applauded her bravery in accepting that she had made a mistake.

Only she didn't act like she had made a mistake. According to his current "partner", shrill and egocentric May Wong, she planned to go back to the stage as soon as it was possible for her, which in turn made May extremely pissed since she was now the second leading lady after Layla.

He didn't know what her plans had been, but this baby would throw a wrench into them no matter what, so he sincerely hoped this girl would finish her degree and put it to good use. In fact… he wasn't even sure why she had accepted? Sure, she didn't have Layla's years of experience and hadn't gone through the hothouse which was advanced acrobatic training, which made her a lot more capable of carrying a child to term, but why? Surely she knew that this would be a long, tedious and tiring journey.

Then again, maybe she had that mom complex women seemed to have nowadays – that they wouldn't be complete if they gave birth to a child, which, combined with the recent attempts of women to take on men professionally resulted in the increase of the so-called "advanced maternity" cases. The girl was probably afraid she would never marry and wanted to do her duty while she still could. It seemed like a good explanation to him, since she wasn't very pretty. Rather plain, really, with average features and brown eyes. Perhaps her hair was an oddity, but the color seemed off to him, somehow flashy and intrusive.

Leon shook his head. Plainness wasn't such a bad thing, he reminded himself. If anything, it saved her a lot of trouble. He himself didn't often flaunt his looks, but he wasn't completely oblivious to the effect they had on the females. In fact, he had often used that to his advantage. But it was often more of an annoyance than anything else, and among women, it was almost a hindrance. Nearly every beautiful actress had to have been accused of sleeping with someone to get the job, at least once, and he felt Sora was too nice for that.

Nice… it was a rare quality in a performer. Even those that started off nice ended up getting jaded by the hardships of the stage. He actually wished she wouldn't come back to performing – it was almost sorry to think of her changing.

Sora had gotten up somewhere during his mental triad, probably in search of a less embarrassing reading material. Honestly, what a laugh! This whole venture was a joke! Had this girl even had sex before?

She returned, carrying a brown paper bag, her face flush like a desert sunset. Leon caught her eye and, for some reason, felt like whatever was in there was for him.

"Um… Leon-san…" she began, fidgeting nervously "We… we haven't had an opportunity to really… meet before."

"No, we haven't." he said, hoping that he would make her feel a little more comfortable. He didn't ask himself why he wanted her to be more comfortable, though he knew that, with the way they were moving, they would be a lot closer than he had been with other women.

"Um… I just wanted to say… I know Layla-san, and… she's told me how much she wants this and… I understand just how much this whole thing means to them. And… um… I hope we can be good friends."

Friends? The word sounded strange to him. He'd have to repeat later when he was alone to see how it sounded on his tongue. But it seemed good. "So do I."

"Um… I bought you this… to… um… help you out." Getting redder than possible, she handed him the bag. Leon, who had started to gather what was in it, took a furtive peek and tried to hide his smile.

"Well…" he coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment "I don't need this…" he was French, after all "But… the sentiment is appreciated. Thank you."

She nodded and flopped down on the chair, and the two of them slipped into a, now embarrassed, silence.

_**13. Change**_

"Might I ask what this newspaper has done to you?"

Yuri tore his eyes from the adds section and focused on the man standing next to him.

"Kalos." He nodded. "Sorry, I didn't notice you, I was… preoccupied."

"So I see." Without asking for permission, the owner of Kaleido Stage sat down next to him. It was a lovely autumn day, sunny, but not too hot. Perfect for a stroll in the park. Yuri was not a walking type, so he did the next best thing – drank his coffee and read the newspaper on one of the benches. Kalos had been doing the first when he had noticed the younger man. "Looking out for a change of scenery?"

"No. Sora and Layla are having a bit of a… cookout at home, so to speak, and I was sent out so that I didn't get in their way." The blond shrugged "All the better. I'm on a mission."

"Oh? Anything I can help out with?"

Yuri leveled a glance at the older man. Though it had been more than a year since the whole debacle that had culminated in the Legendary Maneuver and Sora's injury, there was still a bit of a strain between the two men – both had, in their silent, manly way, agreed that they had each made a mistake and refused to dwell on it more than necessary, but they hadn't made an attempt at reconciling. Yuri wasn't sure if he liked or disliked the fact. He never had a longing for a father figure in his life, although, if he had to be honest, he could use another man's opinion in times like this.

"Trying to pick out a house. People think having a baby is as simple as having sex without condoms…" Yuri sighed "Normal couples have enough to think of, but Layla and me, it's a circus… no offence."

"None taken." Kalos said "Why a house?"

"We can't possibly raise a child in our flat. It's way too high in the air, too modern, too… fancy. We'd have to gut it inside and out to make it into a child-friendly condition, not to mention that we're having more than one addition to the family…" Yuri rubbed his eyes "And then there's the whole bit about decorating rooms and buying toys and doctor appointments and picking out names and we aren't even sure if it worked."

"Sounds like you're under a lot of stress." Kalos nodded "What do you mean, more than one addition to the family? Are you expecting there will be twins?"

"No." though the doctor did mention that the chances of multiple births were bigger with in vitro pregnancies. The possibility of not one, but two, or possibly more, wailing babies, made his head reel in shock "I was talking about the… others. About Sora and Leon. Layla and I already accepted that we've chosen a rather unorthodox method of having a child, but it's not so easy to explain to others. Layla's father nearly had a heart attack when we managed to explain it to him."

"Ah, yes, this is bound to raise some eyebrows." The owner was thoughtful "But surely Leon doesn't need to live with you, does he?"

"Of course not. I think he's the most shaken by this whole bit, of the four of us. You should've seen him after he… well… you know." Yuri smiled at the memory. "He just walked out of the room, handed the cup to the nurse, and said he needed to go and get a stiff drink. If I hadn't known better, I'd have said the fellow was positively embarrassed. But no… I was talking about Sora. She'll have to stay with us while she carries the baby and then while she's nursing. Naturally, we can't have her live at that dump of a college dorm, now, can we?" Yuri sighed "It's all well and good, but really hard on my nerves. Have you and Sarah ever… um… considered taking this step?"

"In our case it's a bit different." Kalos scratched the back of his neck "In the beginning, we were too keen on succeeding and we sort of put our love lives on standstill. And after that, things sort of evolved into something different. Some couples start fighting as time progresses. Sarah and I slipped into an easy companionship that is a little harder to find."

"Oh… You never thought you were getting old? No biological clocks ticking away?"

"No, we're more of the 'you're as young as you feel' type. Besides, we come from a different upbringing than you and Layla. Back in the day, you couldn't have children without marriage, and we were both a little too proud to admit that was what we wanted." Kalos shrugged. _And then it had become too late for even that, eh, old man. _Sometimes, he did feel his own age a little too strongly. He glanced at the younger man, who was frowning at the paper again. "Have you considered asking Layla?"

"Hell, no." Yuri exclaimed and then, feeling he had overdone it a bit, amended "She had to ask Sora to carry her baby because she couldn't get out of contracts and assignments. Obviously, she doesn't have much time right now. Most of the workload – finding a house, surveying the possible remodeling and moving, helping Sora out… I'll obviously be the one doing it, since I have the more flexible schedule. Leon's touring with the stage for the next six months or so, so we can't possibly depend on him." Not that they'd expected anything of him, anyway. "My point is, Layla is obviously busy now, extremely so. She has no time to plan a wedding or… or anything of the like."

"But do _you _want to get married? There is that thing called prolonged engagement."

"I… I… it's complicated." Yuri knew, as soon as Layla suggested this venture to him, that it would either lead to a strengthening of their bond… or the demise of their relationship. A child needed a steady family, and in order to give him that, he and Layla would marry. But he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was doing this mostly because_ she_ wanted it. Because she wanted a child. He couldn't help but feel like a shoo-in, or something, in that new family circle, and he had a feeling he'd feel like a lot more in the incoming months. "I just need time to sort things out. Make these decisions when our lives aren't a big construction site."

Kalos nodded empathically "Can't offer you much advice on that, but… as far as the house goes… I think Kate mentioned something about selling her house so that she could move in with Jerry, since they're getting married. Perhaps you should get in touch with her."

_**3. Magic**_

"Is it time?"

"No, not yet."

Layla hadn't looked at her watch, but she knew it wasn't time. Sora didn't question it – like most performers, both women had an extremely keen sense of time. In their line of work, timing was everything. As they both knew.

They were perched on the rim of the bathtub at Layla's apartment, waiting for the stick test to give them an answer. Yes or no. Positive or negative. Sora wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. In such cases, the best friend is supposed to comfort the future mother, but in this case, she was both and she was starting to get the roles mixed up.

"You know, these things don't always happen at the first time. We can always try again." Sora began, and winced when she realized that going over the procedures again was definitely going to be a painful experience.

"I know." Layla said "I'm just nervous. Oh, man, Sora…" she smiled "I'm such an idiot. It's just… I'm excited and nervous and…"

Sora nodded. "I get it."

It had been strange, at first. Her mother, her colleagues, even her friends, had been skeptical when the news were announced to them. Her mother had been discreet, but others… Mia's reaction to the news had been especially violent. After being silent for five minutes straight, the girl had practically exploded.

"A child? You're going to carry Layla-san's child? Sora, are you insane?" Mia had never been the one to lose her temper easily, but when she did, you had to run for cover "You already incapacitated yourself because her pride wouldn't allow you to stall and perfect the Legendary maneuver, do you want to put an end to your career for good? Look, I've known you for how long now? We've been friends for nearly four years! I've seen how it works for you – you're too kind to say no to other people. But this isn't just about you throwing a birthday party or filling in for someone – this is about a child. A child, Sora! One you will carry in your body, one you will nurse and probably see growing up. I don't care for technicalities – it will be your child, and then you'll have to give it away!"

Sora had left her run on until the girl just got tired and broke down, because that was what friends did. And it wasn't like Mia wasn't making a good point. In her lengthy, roundabout way, she had asked the question everyone was skirting since the whole thing began. Was Sora ready to have children?

Everyone had asked themselves that. Yuri, Leon, Sarah, even Kalos, who tried to keep as far away from these things as possible. Obviously, Sora had never been a mother before, but she was twenty – a child herself, barely out of adolescence. Did she have the physical, and more importantly, the emotional maturity to do it?

Some thought not. Hell, Sora herself had had her doubts. But now, looking at Layla, seeing her friend's excitement did something to Sora. She felt, rather than knew, that they would find a way around everything. She felt she could do this, for her friend and for herself. But most of all, she felt that something had already began to change in her, something inexplicable, something… miraculous.

That was why, when the two of them looked at the stick, the result didn't surprise them the least.

* * *

**A/N -I was curious - how many of you have an lj account? I just started a community called "Readers United", which is supposed to be a place where everyone can write short reviews on books/fics/manga they have liked (or hated). Would you like to join? I've only started it up, but I'm hoping that at least some of you would be interested. We can be found on http:/ community(dot) livejournal (dot)com/readers_united/**

**Now, onto this story - I know it's been long and it has been a rather... well, boring chapter, but I seem to have dozed off a bit and need to find my track. Sorry if it takes a while to finish, but I will get there.**

**Let me know what you think.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**33. Silly**_

Weeks passed.

Kaleido Stage went on tour, taking Layla, Leon and all the cast away. Yuri finished the purchase of Dr. Kate's old house and by the end of the eight week of Sora's pregnancy, the latter was allowed to move in her designated room.

For Yuri, the days were long. For the most time, there were things to occupy his time – the house needed some repairs, for instance, and there was always something he needed to discuss with his financial advisor, so he was always in motion, dealing with this or that, making orders, negotiating prices… and still, from time to time, he would look up from what he was doing and would lose himself in the scenery outside the window, only to look down and see that the paper in his hands was covered in scribbles. Or he would be talking on the phone and he would trail off in the middle of the sentence. Or drive around and suddenly find himself in the opposite direction of his original destination.

It wasn't that he was worried about what Layla was doing, not at all. Having been her partner for more than six years now, Yuri had learned very quickly that Layla Hamilton was the epitome of independence. Even if, for some reason, she was dropped off in a foreign country with no money and no passport, she was bound to find a way to end up in the Hilton by evening, drinking a martini and making small talk with an important crowd.

And, he wasn't feeling homesick for the spotlights. Unlike Leon, who could perform his way through life, Yuri was pretty tired of the backstage machinations and looked forward to living a life as himself.

But he couldn't get over the feeling of… _uselessness_ that overcame him whenever he thought about their current project. Yes, he had been listening to what Layla had told him, when she first explained to him how exactly they would try to have a baby, but still… he felt left out of the whole thing. Even Leon, seriously,_ Leon_, who barely showed any marginal interest in anything, had done more to bring this baby into being than he had.

It grieved him to say, actually, that he had more insecurities about this whole thing than everyone combined, including Sora, who probably had it hardest of them all.

Yuri frowned with distaste – ever since Layla had made her plan known to their general friends and family, there was always a lull in the conversation whenever Sora's name came up. Yuri knew perfectly well that nobody would dare say something in front of Sora, or Layla for that matter, but he knew damn well what they were thinking, and what they might discuss in private. Of course, he was aware people had the full right to think whatever they wanted to, but even so, thinking about the assumptions they might make about that poor girl made his stomach turn.

However, Sora's mood never seemed to dampen. It was probably because she was so good, Yuri reasoned. Even with all of Kaleido Stage away, she wasn't lonely. She was just the kind of person to make friends with everyone – her grumpy professors in the university, the shy girls on the front of the row in the lecture hall, the motherly nurses in the hospital… they all loved her, they were attracted to her warmth and selflessness and spirit. Yuri wasn't like that – he could put up a good front, but inside, he was just about as gloomy as Leon.

He was musing this over one day, when suddenly a pile of books materialized in front of him. He blinked a few minutes, before looking up at Sora, who was standing in front of his desk, beaming happily.

"Woolgathering, Yuri-san?" she asked, cheerfully.

"Oh… um… yes, I guess so." He tried to smile, but it came off as a grimace more "Um, is there something wrong?" She was still in her tenth week, so the pregnancy had yet to show, but there was a certain… softness around her that gave away the changes that were happening. He was so focused on that, he almost missed what she said. "Sorry?"

"I said I got you some things you might need." She said, gesturing to the books. Yuri picked them up gingerly and examined the spines: "Pregnancy: Everything you need to know", "After-natal care", "The complete guide for future daddies".

"Oh…" he trailed off "Sora, what are these for?"

"Well, I noticed your spacing out a lot lately…" Of course, how could she not? Yuri smiled to himself. Finding him sitting in the dark with a book was probably a dead giveaway. "… And I figured that you're probably worried about what you should do when the baby comes, so I went to a bookstore and asked around for something for expectant fathers." Sora paused, looked at him uncertainly "Um… is that not right?"

"No, no, it's perfect." Yuri smiled broadly and hurried to give her a hug "It's really thoughtful, thank you, Sora. You really shouldn't have."

"Of course I should have!" she scoffed "I can't in good conscious let you go on without at least a warning."

"A warning?" he gulped

"Yeah. You know, the food cravings, the mood swings, the fourteen-something hour long labor. You do know that when it happens, it's not going to be a pretty sight." Sora laughed at his terrified expression "Hang on, Yuri-san. It won't be for another twenty-six weeks, at least."

_**26. Picture**_

Leon had to give them credit when it was due – at least they kept their word and kept him out of it.

He could have pretended to be insulted, call them reckless fools or something other like that, but in the end of the day, he was just glad his part in this whole experiment was not mentioned. It wasn't just because the thought of nursery themes and designer perambulators made him want to gag, he just didn't want to talk about this any more than was absolutely necessary.

And everyone nowadays seemed to want to talk about it.

Ever since Layla had told the cast about the method she had chosen to have a baby, people hadn't stopped yammering about it. It was as if babies had become a favorite topic. Suddenly, all the female performers were discussing their relationships, speculating on the commitment (or lack thereof) of their boyfriends, counting. The ones without a partner used every occasion to whine about how there weren't any good men left, and by the time the tour neared to an end, Leon was sure that he would not be able to hear the word "biological clock" without getting a rash.

Of course, his cold demeanor usually prevented people from getting too chatty with him, but that didn't mean that he wasn't thoroughly discussed as a possible boyfriend whenever his back was turned. It wasn't a new occurrence, per se, but it still made him uneasy, and he was glad that the whole company was under the impression that it was Yuri who was the father of Layla's child.

As for Layla, she seemed completely oblivious to what people said and thought. It was never a good day if she didn't call Yuri and Sora at least a couple of times and hear every insignificant detail about their day. She seemed hell bent on experiencing this pregnancy in the fullest, in heart if not in person. Things like a perfect performance didn't seem to bother her – she could easily spare an hour of practice in favor of hearing all about the latest visit to the doctor, or look at pictures of cribs Yuri was sending for her approval. It was positively nauseating.

One night, near the end of the performance, he was walking out of the make-up artist's trailer when he nearly ran into May.

"Oh, sorry, Mr. Leon." The Chinese girl beamed at him "How are you tonight?"

"Fine." He replied.

"It's a shame that the tour is nearly over, isn't it?" she asked.

"Not really. I've been looking forward to going back home." While touring usually brought in more profit, it involved a lot of traveling and a nearly complete lack of personal space, things he particularly disliked. Leon could barely stretch his legs in that joke of a trailer he was forced to live in. "Thank God for the holiday season."

"Oh yes, we're doing "A Christmas Carol", aren't we? I heard Kalos got Yuri-san to participate as well." May gushed "Have you had a chance to learn your role yet? I shall be the Ghost of Christmas Past. If you would like, we could practice together."

"We have to practice together anyway." Leon said.

"It will be good to get some more practice anyway. Partners need to interact in order to look good together." She replied.

He rolled his eyes and headed off to the big top, with May following close in tow. They were supposed to walk by Layla's trailer, and Leon slowed his pace in the hoped that the annoying girl would go pester her idol and leave him alone. His prayers were probably heard, because May noticed the door was ajar and went to call Layla and get her to join them.

The leading lady was sitting, in full costume, talking through the computer with Sora and Yuri, who were busy showing her something that looked like small black squares. The vanity, where usually her creams and perfumes were, was completely bared to make room for the laptop. She barely looked up when May barged in, but the latter's very loud entrance must have been heard, because the chatter suddenly seized.

"Yes, May?" Layla asked, not even turning her body in their direction. "Is there something you want?"

"Um, I…" she paused "Well, I, um, there's thirty minutes to curtain, so I thought I should call you."

"There's still enough time, you can go without me." Layla said dismissively, before returning her attention to the screen. "Yuri, can you hold that picture up a little more? Yes, now I see it!" she gushed.

Leon probably would have walked away, before all this estrogen got to him, but the look of complete shock and mute anger on May's face struck him as odd. It wasn't until later that he realized that he had probably never seen such intensity of feeling on her face, even when they acted.

"_It's awesome, isn't it?"_ Yuri exclaimed _"Look here, you can see it a lot better."_

"I can see it!" Layla laughed, and a big, silly smile blossomed on her face. Leon thought, off-handedly, that he had never seen the woman grin so widely before. "It truly is amazing!"

"You'll see, they're so much better when you look at them in person." Yuri said.

"Um, Layla-san…" May began again, when suddenly, a loud gasp came from Sora. Layla immediately leaned in, as if she could reach through the screen and help her friend. Even Leon caught himself making a step in the direction of the laptop.

"Sora, what is it?" they could see Yuri wrap an arm around the girl's waist. Sora's eyes were wide and her mouth was open in a small "O" of surprise. Her hand was splayed on her stomach and Leon was struck by its size. Had it really been so long? He did the math in his head quickly and frowned. She was, what, in the fifth or the sixth month? Yes, probably.

Slowly, the calamity seemed to wind down, and Sora gave a week smile. "Layla-san, the baby just kicked."

"He kicked!" Layla exclaimed, her voice raising a new octave "He kicked? Really?"

"He did, he did!" Yuri laughed, and he seemed almost giddy with relief. Leon rolled his eyes and turned to leave, dragging May away with him, and leaving the happy trio to their little scene of domestic happiness. He wasn't cut out for these displays.

Once outside, he let go of May's collar and let her walk on her own. The Chinese girl followed him on her own, but her spirits seemed to have dampened considerably. Finally, when they made their way into the Big Top, she spoke up: "I guess Sora makes a fine third, doesn't she?"

"Hmm?"

"She's done nothing to deserve it, and yet she's so close to them… I can't believe it." May huffed "Miss Layla must truly be a good friend, letting Sora live in her house like that. I can't believe nobody finds it inappropriate."

"How so?" she looked up, surprised that he had actually been listening. "Sora is carrying Layla's child. What's so inappropriate about providing her with good housing?"

"Nothing's wrong with the _housing_." May said "It's about who she's sharing it _with_. Yuri's her boyfriend and yet she's completely ok with leaving him for months to an end with Sora in the house."

Again, Leon could not see her point. Sora was pregnant, was she not? What was there to worry about? And then he started to get what May was implying.

"You would do best if you watch what you're saying." He snapped, and turned to go to his station.

Much later, after the final curtain had fallen, Layla called Leon aside: "I thought you might want to know. It's a boy." She said, handing him the ultrasound picture. Leon stared at her, then at the small, glossy square, and then back at her, and struggled for words.

_**36. Sailor Moon**_

The time had come.

Sora sighed, took a deep breath, and walked into the School of Management's reception, having finished her last exam before the winter holiday.

She had truly and well done her best – nobody could accuse her of the opposite. She'd gone to every class, seminar and lab, completed the coursework with more than passing grades. To be honest, she hadn't expected to like college as much as she did – her life goal had always been set on performing and for the longest time, that had been what had made her happy. It was a pleasant surprise, therefore, to discover something, anything, that could make her feel complete.

However… however…

Now she had to say goodbye to it as well, or at least for a little while. With the end of her second trimester nearing, and Baby practicing somersaults in her belly more and more, she needed to pass onto a lighter schedule, spread the workload, take it easy. She would still work from home, and meet with her tutor on a regular basis, but she could no longer attend the lectures like she had before (at the very least, squeezing between the bench and the desk had become progressively harder) and she could no longer focus solely on her studies.

That was the reason why, at this moment, she stood in front of the small mailbox assigned to her, getting ready to clear out some of the things she had left in there. Old papers, assignments, feedback from her tutors, it was all there, and she needed to clean it out in case she needed something later on and couldn't come.

She went about her job sluggishly, languidly. Lately, she felt like her head was swimming – her thoughts were slow, she would always stop and stare at simple objects like she saw them for the first time. Yuri found that fascinating – he'd practically inhaled the books she had given him, and then found others. He read about embryonic and fetal development, month-to-month and week-by-week processes. He knew better than her what was going on in her belly at every time, and he was becoming completely enamored with the baby.

He was also turning into a veritable soccer mom, as Sora and Layla lovingly referred to him when he wasn't listening. He spent more and more time at home, helping around with the housework, learning to cook… He insisted that Sora sit most of the time, letting her up only when she had to make the transaction from the couch to the kitchen table, or from the kitchen table to her bedroom.

Soccer mom, through and through.

Still, Sora couldn't wait for Layla to come back. She missed her friend, missed talking about the things she loved. Missed the Stage.

She sighed again and shook her head. Blues indeed. She needed to stop dwelling on silly things, especially with something so happy drawing near. She let her fingers splay across her stomach and felt, almost immediately, a soft thud. Baby seemed to react to her touch almost automatically, kicking and turning energetically, as if to tell her: "I'm here, I'm here, I'm fine."

And suddenly, everything was alright again.

Sora smiled and reached for the last item in her mailbox…

And did a double take.

It was a ridiculously glittery card, one that you'd probably see adorning a girl's Christmas present. Upon closer inspection, she discovered that it was a drawing of Sailor Moon, in her famous battle pose and a huge grin on her face. Inside, there wasn't a single blank space – every millimeter was covered in good writing, good and bad, neat and messy, all of her colleagues somehow managing to give their wish for health and happiness to Sora and the baby.

The redhead stared at it, before she started laughing in crazy abandon. Those guys… they would always choose goofing around to having a real conversation.

* * *

**A ridiculously apologetic author's note (TM) ahead:**

**Alright, I swear I have a good reason this time - I was moving. You know. Start of university life and all that. No drinking, I promise, but it did involve moving into a dorm room and certain problems with climat and getting used to actually not being spoon-fed the information.**

**Oh, and grocery shopping. I'm supposed to manage my own finances now. Scary!**

**That being said, I wanted to apologize for taking so long with this chapter, and also for... well, not writing anything substential right now. Thing is, I feel a little uprooted and I'm having a hard time reconnecting with my muse. Everything is so different right now, and I'm constantly worrying about messing up and not doing as well as I should. So I want to apologize beforehand if updating gets irregular and rather... well... weird. I do so want to get back on track, but for now, it's not so easy.**

**Although my muse being gone doesn't stop me from signing up for the nanowrimo *sheepish*. I'm Brouillons there, so if anyone wants to be my writing buddy... I'm there.**

**So that's all for now guys. Sorry again if I made you wait too long.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

_**1 Fairytales**_

He leafed through the first draft of the program for the next season and groaned inwardly: "Hansel and Gretel", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Little Ida's Flowers"… Mia had been brushing up on her fairy tales, and that meant more cutesy children's performances and a lot less serious acting. Leon was starting to wonder if he was an acrobat or a nursery clown.

Although, as far as Tim Curry in "IT" went, clowns were pretty scary. No two opinions on that one.

The thing he'd never admit, however, was that he himself had a full copy of the original Grimm's fairytales, as well as Anderson and even Wilde in his library at home. Leon, even though a lover of all things modern, was fairly old-school in his concepts of a child's entertainment. After all, he'd been a boy when the true enjoyment was with a book, when an adult sat with you and span the old folk tale, when television and VSR were still relatively new concepts and Disney hadn't managed to cutesify those originals. Frankly, he preferred it that way. There was just something about the dark melancholy of it all that appealed to him tremendously.

Sadly, Mia's plays were probably going to be a lot less melancholy and a lot more child friendly.

He pondered the unfairness of it all as he wandered in the suburbs. Layla and Yuri had been dropping hints of dinner invitations all week long, and he was well aware they wouldn't leave him alone until he humored them.

He'd hesitated a lot when the time came to pick out their housewarming gift. Usually, a bottle of wine of a tasteful little piece of art would have done the job, but with Layla's heritage, art would have probably seemed pompous, and since Sora would probably attend, alcohol would have been untactful.

In the end he'd settled for bringing dessert. After all, who didn't like chocolate?

He didn't think he'd stay long: Just for dinner, and then head home to his book and the late night news, maybe a glass of wine. He wasn't sure he would be able to handle all the baby talk, not without looking like a complete Grinch, and while he couldn't stand Killian, he didn't want to kill anyone's buzz.

The house looked… nice. Not quite what he'd imagined. Layla and Yuri had always looked too classy for a home in the 'burbs, and even now he thought they would live in something out of an Italian home catalogue. Instead, the lawn looked like it might need a trim, the blinking lights were crooked, and there was a Christmasy lantern hanging on the porch. It looked… cozy. He snorted as he knocked – all that was missing was a minivan in the driveway.

The door swung open, and he did a double take. Later, it occurred to him that it was the first of many.

"Leon-san!" Sora beamed like a hundred-watt bulb, and dear God, she looked…

Radiant. That was the word. Radiant. Never mind the belly and the fact that she couldn't seem to stand upright, properly, she looked like she was full of light and cheer and love. And it wasn't just the holiday spirit talking either.

In Leon's childhood, fairies had been mischievous creatures that were part plants-part human, and who liked to play cruel tricks and spoil the milk. Sora was nothing like that, and yet he could have sworn she was one.

Fairy born, human bred.

_**18 Belief**_

Layla looked out from the kitchen and had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing.

"See something you like?" Yuri asked, wrapping his arms around her middle and kissing her neck.

"You take a look at that," she said, "and tell me if it isn't funny."

She could feel his lips curl against her skin. "I have to admit, it's nothing I've ever thought about, but I don't think I'd have come up with anything of the like on my own."

When Layla had declared that she would get Leon to be more proactive, whether he liked it or not, Yuri had been beyond skeptical. He was still unsure as to the reason why he bothered getting involved with them, but then again, he was nothing if not mysterious. He probably needed to bewilder at least one person a day to feel accomplished. Still, that didn't explain why he was at their house, in this ungodly hour, watching old cartoons with Sora.

It had started off with them talking about pregnancy quirks. Sora had yet to start demanding weird food combinations (although she ate massive amounts of Thai food). Instead, she turned into a film freak. Comedies and dramas, tragedies, old movies, anime, SMT3K, she saw everything. She'd gone through Yuri and Layla's collection in two days, and was quickly working through whatever their local rental store had. Leon had mentioned that he had some DVD's at home which he never saw, and promised to bring them over next time.

Next time was last night.

"Do you really think they stayed up all night to watch these?" Yuri asked, eyeing the boxes on the coffee table. Hell, they probably had/ He'd have never pegged Leon as someone who had all the episodes of Hana no ko Lun-Lun or a collection of Hepburn movies, and he could guess why he had them. It shocked him that he would be willing to share them with Sora, but then again…

The man was an enigma. He made a profession of the fact.

"Amazing!" Sora sighed. She was on the couch, with an afghan thrown over her legs and a pillow under her head. Leon was sitting on the floor with his back against the couch. His eyes were semi-closed and almost bleary with sleep, but he didn't seem to notice his fatigue. Neither of them did.

Yuri had pretty much gotten used to that. Sora's entering the last trimester of her pregnancy meant late nights and more late nights. The baby was up and kicking all the time, and she had quickly found out that with her having to go to the bathroom every two minutes, it was probably best to wait for Junior to calm down and then go to sleep. That rarely happened at the socially appointed times, so she had taken to watching movies in the evening.

"So he was the prince all along?" Sora asked. "He's really persistent."

"Annoying, you mean. Stalking her across Europe like that… she should have slapped him with a restraining order."

"It was done in 1979, cut it some slack!" She laughed and smacked him on the back of his head. He turned to give her a death glare (more like a death squint, bleary eyes and all that), but... something was missing. Yuri wasn't sure what it was.

"You two really decided to pull an all-nighter, huh?" Layla said as she walked in the living room with the coffee. Sora and Leon looked up at the same time, and Yuri laughed. He couldn't help it – both of them were staring, wide-eyed and surprised, as if they'd just realized there were other people in the house. She blushed. He frowned.

"I guess you could put it that way," Sora said as she rolled into a sitting position. "I'm so sorry. It was supposed to be just one episode and then…"

"And then it was all 50 of them," Leon said, stretching.

"I'm really sorry."

"You better sleep through the whole day to make up for it," Layla said, shaking her head. "I'll help you to your room. Gentlemen," she turned to the men, "help yourselves to breakfast, I'll be right down."

Yuri watched them disappear up the stairs, smiling. "Incredible, isn't it? Three years ago, I would have never thought things would be like this. What do you…" he paused, stared. "Leon? Leon?"

But the Frenchman didn't reply. He wasn't making a move to get up from the couch, or fixed his rumpled appearance. His eyes were closed, and his chest was rising and falling rhythmically. "Leon?" Yuri poked him in the shoulder. His eyes snapped wide open and he sat bolt upright.

"I wasn't asleep," he said gruffly. Something in his manner, suggested to Yuri that this wasn't the first time he'd said it. Yuri wondered how many times had Leon dozed off during that night, and how many times he had refused to admit to being tired.

Such potential… but instead of razzing him about it, Yuri said:

"Layla went to help Sora get into bed. Would you like some breakfast?"

"No." Leon rubbed a hand over his face and pushed himself upright. "I really… can't. There's a performance tonight, and I have to be at rehearsals."

"It's still early," Yuri pressed. "Have some coffee, at least. You look dead tired."

Leon shot him a haughty look, as if to say, _Tired? Moi?_ "I'm fine, but I need to go back to my place now. I just need a shower and a change of clothes and I'll be as good as new."

Yuri was about to comment that pigheadedness wouldn't help him if he fell off the trapeze, but Leon was already shrugging into his coat. The DVD's were still on the table. "Aren't you going to take these with you?"

Leon blinked. "I won't need them today, and Sora might be bored later. She can give them back whenever she's done watching them."

Yuri frowned. He knew Leon was a snide son of a…. mother, but did he really have to sound so condescending and annoying all the time. It was as if he made a point to be a pain in the arse whenever possible. "I'm sure she'll appreciate it," Yuri said sincerely. "She was really happy when you offered to bring them over."

The Frenchman paused in the process of tying his shoes and looked up. His expression remained blank, but Yuri could have sworn there was something different in the look in his eyes, in the set of the mouth. It was as if Leon was biting his tongue against something, which was ludicrous. Leon never let anyone stop him from giving his opinion, even if he would probably live to regret it. Or not.

"I wanted to do something," he said at length. Yuri was about to tell him he was being a cryptic bastard, when he spoke again, "Sora, she… seems like she would enjoy something like that."

Both men fell silent as Leon retreated into whatever thoughts he'd been having lately and Yuri finally grasped why Leon's mood was so lousy whenever he was around Sora. Why he had been so mad when he had heard that she would be the one carrying the child. Why he nevertheless did nice things for her, like bringing her DVDs and staying until late to watch silly cartoons with her. And the reason was so obvious! How could he have not realized this before?

Sora was not much younger than them, but she was still the youngest. Young enough to remind him of Sophie. Young enough to keep him from forgetting why he hated Yuri and Layla in the first place.

Yuri couldn't argue with that last point – he had acted despicably on that World Festival, all these years ago. But as the realization came, he felt another emotion coming over, one that was strong enough to overpower the guilt.

Anger.

"Leon," he said, "I want you to know, I really appreciate what you're doing."

A blank look. "I'm not doing anything for you."

"I know that," Yuri said, as he squared his shoulders. A fight was coming on, and he knew he had to deal with it sooner or later. "I thank you nevertheless. I understand how this might seem to you…"

"…I find that doubtful."

"…But if you're going to treat Sora like she's some incompetent child, I would like to ask you to stop."

Leon raised an eyebrow, as if in challenge. "What's wrong with treating children like children?"

"Leon, she's twenty years old! I know that she reminds you of Sophie, but this has to stop. Sora is not her, and she doesn't need you to patronize her or protect her or whatever it is that you think you're doing."

"Let me ask you something, Killian," Leon said, cold seeping into his tone. "If you were in my position, and I told you I had employed a girl who was old enough to be your sister to carry my baby, would you have taken it gracefully? Would you have been completely and honestly objective?"

Yuri clenched his fists. He was overcome by helpless anger, because, once again, Leon was right. It was not fair to expect him to be objective when Yuri was only making things worse. It was as if he had thrust the past in his face and ordered him to deal with it.

But that was all the more reason Leon had to deal with it. If he kept living in the past, if he kept avoiding this huge elephant in the room, he would never be able to progress. He needed closure. They all did. "Hit me."

"What?"

"I said hit me."

"Didn't we already go through this?"

"Yes, and you're still angry. Either I'm not doing this right, or you're not putting enough heart into it."

"Killian, I'm tired," Leon said. "Can we leave this conversation for another time? Maybe for when I'm more articulate?"

"No." Yuri leaned against the door, effectively blocking his escape route. "I'm not letting you go until you realize that Sora isn't one of those girls you can patronize, Leon. She deserves better than that?"

Leon's eyes narrowed. "I'm aware of that, although you are hardly the one to talk." The comment shocked Yuri enough for Leon to push past him and walk out. "And for the record," he said, "I do know she's not Sophie." He paused, and then added, softly, "She's Sora."

_**34 Pretend**_

Sora watched Layla get ready with something akin to nostalgia budding in her heart. She was a fairly straightforward person, looking into the future instead of dwelling on the past, but she remember how, as a little girl, she loved watching her mother and aunt get ready to go out. Whenever there would be a party or a function at work, Sora would park herself in the bedroom to watch this strange ritual a woman partook to turn into a worldly beauty.

Layla was, indeed, well versed in that ritual. But instead of smiling indulgently, she kept frowning and fretting.

"I don't want to go, really," she said for the umpteenth time that night.

But it was New Years, and her father, Mr. Hamilton, had insisted on throwing a huge party. Even if Layla had managed to negate most of these functions lately, she couldn't refuse that one. Moreover, she and Yuri hadn't gone out alone together in ages. They had to go out, at least once, just the two of them. So Sora had ushered Layla upstairs and promptly started going over her closet to help her pick clothes out.

"You look fabulous," Sora said when Layla presented the final result. "I'm sure Yuri-san will be delighted."

Layla blushed, and Sora felt her heart swell. Those two really needed to be together more.

"I'm still feeling guilty about leaving you alone on New Years," Layla said, but Sora just shook her head.

"I'm not really into big parties, and I can't enjoy it right now," she said, rubbing the baby bump for emphasis. Layla, however, seemed unconvinced.

"Next year, you're coming with us," she commanded in her most imperious tones, and Sora felt hard pressed not to salute her.

"Yes ma'am."

The two of them were making their way downstairs, when they heard the front door open and a familiar voice bid good evening to Yuri. Sora immediately took notice, but when she looked at Layla, the older woman simply shrugged. "Was that Leon-san?"

"Well… yes," Layla said. "You didn't think we'd leave you here all alone, did you?"

"But… but…" Sora searched her head for a response, and decided that she had none. Of course, she should have predicted that those two would arrange for some kind of babysitter. But… Leon, of all people? Leon, who looked like he could be at any number of glamorous parties, if he so desired. Leon, who was currently the biggest star of Kaleido Stage. Leon, the man who both intimidated her and evoked her respect. How did they rope him into this? "Isn't her busy?"

"I asked him if he had plans for tonight. He said that he didn't mind staying with you." Layla shrugged again, before making her way down the stairs. From her perch on the landing, Sora could see what was going down in the foyer without being immediately recognized. Yuri looked up as soon as he heard the floorboards creak, and stopped mid-sentence when he perceived Layla. His eyes widened, his mouth dropped open, and for a moment, he looked absolutely stunned.

Even if the whole night turned into a disaster, Sora thought, all the trouble would have been worth it.

Leon also nodded appreciatively when Layla asked his opinion. He gave Sora a look to acknowledge her presence, then turned back to Yuri who was briefing him on all he had to do.

"…and if something happens, anything, even if it's a slight pain or a cramp, call the doctor immediately. Her bag is over there, and there are our phone numbers on the post-it on the mirror."

"Yes, yes, I've been through this a million times already. In bed by nine, no sweets after eight. I have plenty of babysitting experience," Leon snarked and handed Layla her coat.

"Leon, seriously, if anything happens…"

"I think I can handle it. Go have fun!"

Sora giggled, and kissed Layla on the cheek before waving them away. Yuri kept up the mother hen act even in the car, making weird signs at them as if he was trying to convey "War and Peace" fully in gestures. It was great fun, but by the time the car was gone, awkwardness was back, settling over them like a blanket.

"Umm…" Sora tried to come up with something. "You don't really need to stay with me. If you have any other plans…"

"I don't," he said, cutting her off. He wasn't meeting her gaze – usually, that would have worried her, if she didn't know Leon didn't look at anyone in the eye. "Would you like to see a movie?"

"Um, actually… Yes, why not." But it became clear pretty soon that tonight Leon was not in a mood for movies. He didn't laugh. He didn't frown. He just kept staring at the screen. At length, she got up to make tea, and when she came back, she found that he had not moved from his spot, even to pause the screen. Sighing, she walked up and turned the TV off.

Leon blinked owlishly, as if he couldn't recognize his surroundings. Then his eyes fell on her and recognition seemed to dawn in them. He shook his head as if trying to clear his cluttered thoughts, and forced a smile.

"I apologize. I'm not much of a company tonight."

"No, it's…" she wanted to reassure him, but the truth was that she worried. Last time they had stayed up to watch movies, it had been great. He'd been great. Even if he wasn't talkative, he didn't make her feel uncomfortable by looking at her as if she were supposed to say something. But now… "Is there something on your mind?"

"Nothing in particular," he lied.

"You seem preoccupied."

He shrugged. "Holidays are… not my favorite time of the year." He was still staring at the television screen, as if it was the most interesting thing in the room. No… like it was the safest. Every other inch of it… of the whole house, seemed to scream with Christmas cheer – candles and fairy lights and little paper snowflakes, not to mention the tree which was so tall they'd had to bend the tip to fit it in.

Coming to a decision, she stood up. "Come on," she said. "Let's go for a walk."

"What, now?" He looked outside. During the day, the temperatures had dropped and a fine snow covered the streets, like a dusting of sugar on a cake. "It's cold."

"It's fine." She was already shrugging into her own coat, and he hurried over to help her. "Besides, Baby needs exercise, and I haven't been out since yesterday."

Leon wanted to dissuade her, but ever since they'd had their epic pastry argument, he'd learned not to question the logic of a pregnant woman. Though he still thought it was stupid to eat cream cheese frosting without the carrot cake, he did not want to start another episode. Maybe he should have stolen one of Yuri's books, to prepare himself for situations like these, but as usual, his pigheadedness prevented him from doing even that.

Surprisingly for such a small woman, Sora was really quick on her feet. Not only could she effortlessly keep up with his longer paces, she actually had enough energy to talk all the way. It worked for him, since it only required him to listen, but only until they got to the park. Once they were out of sight of the house and all the signs of holiday festivities, she started to grill him about his problems with Yuri.

"So why is it that you hate him?"

"I do not hate him," he said, kicking a frozen branch out of her way.

"Then why did he have a black eye when he first brought you to talk to Layla-san?"

Leon gritted his teeth. "I wouldn't say it was a direct manifestation of my dislike to him. But that doesn't mean I have to tolerate his asinine comments."

"So he said something you didn't like?" Sora said. "What about?"

Leon considered lying, but didn't. Quite frankly, he thought Sora could benefit from knowing the truth.

"Killian and I met four years ago during the Circus Festival which he and Layla won. My sister and I were their rivals, but the night of the show, Sophie got into an accident." For a minute, he went as silent and cold as the park around them.

It was strange. Even if time had blurred the little details of that night, the fear and shock and horror were as strong as ever. Holidays were the worst – he'd pass some shop window or a display, or hear a song or a movie, and think, "Sophie might like that," only to realize that she would never be able to enjoy them, never smile or laugh at one of their private little jokes.

Sora, overcoming her usual fear of him, reached out and touched his hand. Somehow, she didn't need to be told what had happened to Sophie, and that simple gesture had the power to break him down completely. So he squashed the sadness and drowned in the bitterness.

"Killian had told her to meet him somewhere far away from the place where the event was held. I don't know what he'd done – seduced her, or promised her something. At any rate, she didn't realize his ruse until late. She got hit by a car when she was trying to get back on time for our act." The memories came faster now, and with each and everyone his anger grew. "I called. I begged him to come and see her, tell her he hadn't lied, comfort her." And he hadn't. "Anyway, the day he first asked me to be a sperm donor, he told me I was reluctant to comply to his request because of her. You can see why I felt justified in punching him."

Somewhere during that tirade, Sora had let go of his arm, but she had kept walking with him. They were quiet as they approached the pier, but when they came across a bench, she urged him to sit down with her.

"You do realize it wasn't your fault, don't you?" she said, after a full minute of listening to the waves crash against the shore. "The accident, I mean."

"Of course not. I'm blaming Killian for that," he replied, still angry. And why was she taking this so calmly? Was it the weird pregnancy hormones that stopped her from seeing the whole picture? "If it hadn't been for him, Sophie would have never left the training centre."

"But a part of you must be blaming yourself. Otherwise you would have just ignored Yuri-san, and just walked it off without resorting to violence."

"You're wrong," he said. Nothing in his conduct could have caused this. He'd done everything possible to make sure Sophie didn't feel pressured. That she was happy and relaxed. Yet, deep down, he knew that just his efforts wouldn't have been enough, and his refusal to train her properly could have easily been interpreted as a refusal to recognize her as a strong player. Yes, Killian had lured her out, but Leon often wondered what had possessed her to run so wildly towards the arena. Her dream? Or the fact that she wouldn't bear to disappoint him.

Sora shrugged. "Maybe you're right. It's fully possible. But… I know about survivor guilt, Leon-san. That kind of thing can be crushing."

He glanced at her sideways. She was barely over twenty – what kind of experiences would that girl have in order to speak of survivor guilt.

Not many, he corrected himself, since she obviously didn't know what she was talking about. "I'm familiar with the concept as well. However, that does not diminish his responsibility. Quite frankly, I'm surprised you're so quick to defend him."

"How so?" she asked.

"Well, as far as I know, he was responsible for the near destruction of Kaleido Stage. His path to revenge cost many people their jobs, their heath and even their lives." He was looking at her dead in the eye now. "He's the reason why people have lost faith in your precious stage, and, if I'm not mistaken, he's also the reason why you now have to go to physiotherapy and can't perform."

To his surprise, she smiled. "Leon-san, people don't have faith in the real stage because they haven't seen it yet. Yuri-san just put it off. As for me," she stretched her leg, "what happened to me was nobody's fault than my own. I knew the dangers of training too hard, and I willingly disregarded them."

"You did it because you were passionate about your work."

"Yes. But I realized that the Stage didn't want me to give my life for it. And I think I can take the cue when given." She rubbed her belly. "Right now, the most important thing for me is to give this amazing gift to Layla-san and Yuri-san. Maybe, one day soon, I will be able to stand on the Stage again. Whatever happens, the only thing I can do is focus on the now and not the before." She smiled. "Does that make any sense?"

He shrugged and looked away. "Possibly."

She took his hand in hers. It was a silly gesture, an impulsive one, but she might as well have electrocuted him. He looked down, marveling her cool palm as she held his own. Such small fingers, he thought, perfect in shape, but nowhere near long enough to wrap well around a bar. What strength did that woman possess, to be able to be a trapeze artist with such hands.

"It's ok," Sora said. "I'm still trying to work it out as well."

Without thinking, he squeezed back. "I… don't think anyone has."

After all, that was why he'd agreed to this in the first place.

* * *

**A/N - Soooo... I wrote a chapter.**

***readers* PHEW!**

**Keeping my fingers... uncrossed, and hoping for my muse to keep me running. How are you?**


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